Telegram-herald., 1887-04-18
THE MODERN PAGAN
Gen. George Sheridan's Flo
quent Lecture.
IGGIaSGlL sEIEsElr canGIlEl.
tte is chsrged with 6sing unfsir.
Co~srdls. ana asoralls &nd Intel
tsctus'lY snsrchiesl - infdeis
ara latosiity Denounceo.

wAsHnsFoN. April is.--Genefai George
sheridan delivered h.s lecture a hoaern
pzgSn" this evening a. the nes National
Theatre before large audience. coniToyert-
ug the snfl religious yle1s u Col. Robert
q lnseTsol The lectaFer wss introduced
by H5a. John sherman, aud among ths
MANY prominent people present were ssua-
tor Beck, ex-CongTcsssasn Mitchell Of Con-
neciicet = number Of members Of TIE bar
and many ladies.
The ieiure aboundet IN passages OF log
icsl eloqnenos exquisite bits of psthos aud
hum0r and w1s received With aeafty de
monstf3ii0us al approval
General Sheridan said Il MAS not his pur-
gose 10 utter defense OF The Christian re
i.ioa Il was 10 show the evil effect of the
coafse adopted by col. inseTs9li-w whom ile
said he knew 20 he personally one 81 the
most worthy and able II men, good son,
faithful husband, an sffectionaie fstber,
and = grand paiFiot bat " hen he spFroseb-
e. the subject OF religion. the mantle - hls
genisl personality tails from hls shoulder.
Ms Judgment is warped. and he becomes at
once the londeSt Of b0Rster> and tbe most
unfair OF cisputanis. No man has ever a.
sailed the Christian religion with more eio-
Quence iess skin, worse logic. 80 much con
celt and 50 little learning.
The lecturer then charged IngeTsoll with
declining 10 meet men competent
10 discuss the questions with
him. In fact he never met but one really
aoe mantle late Judge Jere Back-and
then the instant he ieit the steel ran from
the neid. In discussing the questions Of
Christianity lngersoll creates spurious
issues He utterly ignores the work of
Christianity. lie neither cOmprehends nor
appreciates the excellence and magnitude Of
tho achievements among as Of the system
be so fiippantly asssils. Relative 10 1od
his ways and work, Colonel ingtrsOil mani
tests curiosity that is az senseless as II is
idle. impertinent and disrespecifui. He
saws he does not understand 1od and there
fore he doesn't believe there is one. He
doesn't understand electricity. but il goes
on electrifying; he doesn't understand the
affinity Of soul for soul. still the stars look
down on fair maidens listening 10 the eager
voice OF youth as IL whispers the old. old
story" that has frightened all the ages. and
millions of homes 10 our great land tonight
are JOYOUS with the songs Of those whose
souls are held close together with the same
invisible cords that since the birth of time
have been woven in the loom OF love
Ingersoll should consider the effect OF bis
attacks on religion before giving them pub
licitv. he has no right 10 parade his
vagrsnt fancies before the community as a
code Of morals, estimating bis philosophy
by the spirit that characterizes his utter
ances. Ii is both shallow and u1kind. He
is mad clean through: mad from the pol
ished top OF his intellectual dome 10 the
soles OF his infidel feet with Christ and
Christianity. He has no right TO destroy 8
mud hut unless be can give Us occupant q
better or equally good place to live In. No
right 10 strike the cup of water from the
thirsty mans hand in the desert. because
il is muddy. unless he can give something
purer and better. Mr. lngersoll is moral
and intellectual snarchist
The pcroraii0n was an outburSt Of thrill
ing eloquence, describing the anarchical
tendencies OF infidelity. He portrayed
Colonel lngersoll as the assailnnt of The
sublimest teachings Of philosophy. of poe
try. and Of science, Of ancient and of mod
ern times. without Offering q substitute on
anything better. lpgersoll. he said. was
employing his genius and oratory in ex-
iiDgushing the iruest source ef human hap
piness. and subyerting the very basis Of civ
ilization itself.